A family affair
by FaeDust
Summary: It's after the defeat of Voldemort and Harry is living with the Weasleys about to finish his seventh year. Between figuring out if Ginny loves or hates him and new friends,Figuring out life, love, romance and death threats has just become a family affair.
1. Chapter 1: Letters

A/N: HI everyone. Yes I plan on continuing Désir D'Âme, I have been in the process of communicating with a new Beta, Yeah! And actually finishing the third chapter. Yesterday I wrote more then half of it only to have the power go off and to loose all my work. I am feeling mightily discouraged be this, although not too much because it really wasn't flowing how I wanted it too. A slight case of writers block when it comes to this story but it will end, it always does.

While you're waiting I couldn't resist the urge to start this idea that has been swimming in my head for quiet some time.

The idea is this: Harry Ron and Hermione after defeating the Dark Lord go back to school to actually complete their seventh year. This is going to be very light hearted compared to my other stories and fairly easy to update because it's very much a romantic comedy without a whole lot of meat. Oh And I've taken some liberty with events in DH. Fred is not dead because I really needed him for this story, and it should have been Percy. Kidding…barely.

**Prologue **

_**Letters **_

_**To Hermione Jane Granger at 623 Maywood avenue London.**_

_Hermione,_

_Mum has officiously just about lost it. Although it is a good four weeks until term begins she is insisting I invite you to spend the rest of summer here. Not that I mind, it's more that I'm afraid you are in for an ordeal. She's still caught between mad at us all for leaving and nearly dieing, and being so bloody proud of us she shows us off to her friends like we did something grand. _

_So if you would like to spend about a month listening to her gush about, "how I always knew you were meant for great things" or crying about Percy. You would think it was some great loss to the world the way she carries on._

_Harry's still here as you know, it's been a good summer and that Dudley cousin of his stopped by once. He's kind of funny that one, don't know what to make of it._

_Well let me know._

_Ron._

_**To Ronald Weasley the most insensitive git that was ever born. Whom does not deserve a family the way he carries on. At the Burrow the attic bedroom.**_

_Dear Ronald._

_Yes I would love to come. If only to spare your mum your brutish condolences. She lost a child for heavens sake! No matter Percy's actions in the past he did make up for it, even saved Fred's life giving up his own. So if helping your mum in her time of grief is an **Ordeal **for you, then I am ashamed of you. _

_What time should I arrive, how is Harry doing? Has he talked about remus much, or what he saw in Snape's memory? _

_Sincerely Hermione._

_**To Hermione Granger 623 Maywood avenue London.**_

_Hermione you have got to get here quick. I don't know if Ron's actually invited you yet. Mum's been on his case about it but knowing him it could be ages before he get around to it. Consider yourself invited. I thought having Harry live with us would be alright, I mean it's not like he hasn't stayed over here before._

_You have no idea how strange it has been this summer to pound on the door and shout "GET OUT ALREADY. ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD STANDING IN FRONT OF THAT MIRROR WON'T MAKE YOU ANY BETTER LOOKING." _

_Expecting it to be one of my lummox excuse for an older brother, only to have the door swing open and have it be Harry. I about died Hermione. Not having another girl here is trying my sanity. Between arguments over quidditch teams and backyard games, drinking themselves to excess and thinking it's funny, talk about girls behind my back as if I don't have ears I am going to hex every last male under thirty in my household._

_Waiting not so patiently yours. _

_Ginny._

_**To Hermione Granger 623 Maywood avenue London.**_

_Hermione, are you coming or not?_

_Harry._

_**To Harry James Potter The Burrow.**_

_Hi, how are you? Haven't heard from you in ages. I'm doing wonderful thank you so much for asking. I'm thinking of not coming actually if that's the kind of greeting I can expect._

_Hermione._

_**To Hermione Granger , the best girl a bloke could have for a best friend. Whom is understanding even when he proves to be less then gracious. (is that enough of an apology? Because talking like that is kind of making me ill.) At 623 Maywood avenue London.**_

_Hello Hermione. _

_It has been a long time, and each moment has been hard for me not seeing you every day. How are you? Please just get here before I waste away without you. Ok that's too much, the point is I'm sorry. About the last letter, I didn't mean to be crass, but I was in a rush and on my way out and kind of frustrated. Ginny thinks i'm ugly. When did this happen? Is it because I broke up with her. I tried to explain why I did it, why are women so complicated?_

_Harry._

_**In a note scribbled on a piece of parchment.**_

_What has Ginny done now?_

_What do you mean?_

_You're glaring at her._

_Am not._

_Are too._

_Just ask her._

_What?_

_If she fancy's a Shag. _

_I'd like to but I think she'd refuse._

_We don't think so._

_**To Hermione Granger 623 Maywood avenue London.**_

_Why did I ever like him? Why are my brothers such cavemen? Why me Hermione! You should have seen the spectacle they made of themselves at dinner last night. Dad took us out at this neat restaurant and the twins kept passing notes to each other under the table. As if they were still in training knickers. Then Ron got a hold of one and I guess it said something about him cause he started jumping down Harry's throat and of course the twins thought the whole debacle was a hoot. Honestly why can't men just behave themselves. It would be really nice if another girl…say you just for kicks…would come save me._

_Not even pretending patience anymore._

_Ginny._

_**To my ex best friend, Harry Potter on the couch at the burrow.**_

_Dear Harry,_

_When you feel like you can keep your gutter thoughts away from my sister you can come upstairs again._

_Ron_

_**To the worlds biggest hypocrite Ron Weasley in the attic bedroom at the burrow.**_

_Dear Ron,_

_It will happen as soon as you can stop thinking the same about Hermione. _

_Harry._

_**To my ex best friend, Harry Potter on the couch at the burrow.**_

_Guess you'll be staying on the couch then._

_Ron_

_**To Harry Potter, Ginny and Ron Weasley at the burrow.**_

_Dear everyone. _

_Against my better judgment I will be arriving by floo powder at noon tomorrow. Please remind me when I arrive why I am still friends with you._

_**To Ronald Weasley At the burrow from his loving parents.**_

_Dear Ron,_

_Your father and I are wondering why when Harry is living with us, and you clearly have two working legs to carry you down the stairs. Why you insist on communicating with him using owl post. Just wondering._

_Mum &Dad._

_**To Lee Jordan 34 west Prickle lane.**_

_Dear lee, _

_You're missing all the action mate. Ron's all in a snit cause we got Harry to admit he wants to shag Ginny it's a riot you should come around our parents place._

_Love, Fred and George._

_**To Fred and George above Weasleys Wizard Wheezes.**_

_Hey mates,_

_Sounds like a laugh. Just one question. Why doesn't the thought of Harry wanting your sister upset you? It would be funny if he didn't have the nerve and she didn't like him. Since he does have a whole lot of cheek, and she definitely wouldn't say no for long. I'd be worried instead of laughing. He is living in your house lots of opportunities to be alone if you get my drift._

_Cheers, _

_Lee._

_**Chapter 1**_

Fred and George Weasley set down the letter from their best mate Lee, with identical frowns.

"He has a point Fred."

"You don't think Harry would, do you? I mean in our own house, anybody could walk in." Fred protested shaking his head.

"Mum and dad aren't around all day you know. Dad works and mum visits her friends. Ron's miffed at Harry so it's not like he's making a point to stay with him all day anymore. He's eighteen completely legal and probably more the ready." George shrugged.

Fred shuddered not really liking to contemplate Harry that way. "Thank you for that mental picture, it was lovely. I see your point though. We have to make it clear to Harry that there are rules regarding our sister that must be followed."

A/N: the shortest chapter you will ever find.


	2. Chapter 2: Showers

Hermione was far from amused by the circumstances awaiting her at the Burrow. She had barely stepped out of the fire place before she was bombarded by a scowling Harry and an equally dour Ron.

"There you are, About time you showed up" Harry fairly snarled at her. She had barely enough time to make an affronted face when Ron was snatching her suitcases like a berserker attacking an enemy army.

"Don't talk to her that way! Just cause you're a gutter worm doesn't mean you have to take it out on her." He snarled back at Harry.

From a door way near the hall Fred had popped his head around the corner and asked. "Couch got you down Harry."

George's head popped around the corner a second latter to add. "More like the dung bomb you tossed on him no doubt."

Harry ignored the both of them and crossed his arms obviously angry enough to slaughter Ron right there in the hall way. " _I'm _a gutter worm? Please, how many times have I heard you moaning in your sleep like a you've got a tooth ache the size of Hagrid? Hermione…Hermione. I swear mate you could be the soundtrack for a porno!"

Hermione's eyes instantly flew to Ron's half way between aghast and something half interested in this notion warming inside her.

Ron dreamed of her.

True she would never want to be party to these dreams, but the fact that he dreamed of her was sweet.

Ron had turned as red as a tomato and was glaring daggers into Harry.

"Hermione isn't your sister! You wouldn't care if I…." he flattered when Hermione raised an eyebrow just daring him to take that statement farther.

The twins snickered from the door way settling in to watch the fire works. From behind them a voice was inquiring. "What's all the shouting. OH MOVE OVER YOU TWO!"

And Ginny was pushing her way into the room just as Harry shouted back at Ron.

"Not like it's any of your business mate. She's of age and if I wanted to shag Ginny that would be my own business and I don't so come off it already."

"Harry." Hermione groaned warning him far too late.

"Excuse me?" Ginny demanded clearly offended about her virtue being displayed like so much dirty laundry. Not to mention Harry's high handedness. She was advancing on Harry wand drawn before any of them could stop her, poking him in the stomach with it.

"You want to rephrase that Mr. Potter? Cause I'll have you know you are the last person here I would ever even consider. When and if I ever do that with anyone it will be with a man. Not a swaggering little boy. Now clean up your mouth when you talk about me, or I'll hex a certain part of you, you have far too much pride in. Clear?" She warned him icily adding a jab of her wand for good measure.

With her wand poking his abdomen Harry wisely agreed, it was so clear it was like crystal. When Ginny turned on her heels and swept from the room in indignation Harry sighed watching her go.

"I don't think you have anything to worry about Ron. When did she stop liking me? I thought…well I thought we had something." He asked. He looked so crestfallen standing there staring after her that Hermione almost pitied him.

Almost.

"Probably when you started openly admitting to wanting to…well you know." Hermione blushed around the words.

Harry just looked confused. "And that's bad why? It's the truth, it's not like people don't do it every day if we were married…"

"But you're not. Your not even dating, girls like guys who make them feel valued not like just another hit on a list. Talking about her that way doesn't make her feel valued that's for sure. It's ok I guess to have those kind of thoughts, all men do just keep them to yourself." She advised wearily snatching her suitcases from Ron.

She went after Ginny.

(change of view)

"The nerve of him. Did You hear him, prattling on as if it was guaranteed that I would even like him that way." Ginny seethed throwing herself on her bed.

Hermione was folding cloths the extra bed that was conjured for her, on her many stays at the burrow.

She didn't even look up as she replied. "well don't you?"

Caught.

"Irrelevant. It's the nerve of I can't stand." She pressed onward anyway.

Hermione sighed. "I wouldn't take it to heart Ginny. He actually doesn't think that at all. Really he is under the impression you find him ugly and arrogant. He's convinced you hate him."

Ginny groaned sitting up in her own bed. "I knew this would happen. Why couldn't Ron of warned me he was back early? Now look at this mess."

"Why didn't you just explain you thought he was one of your brothers." Hermione asked puzzled.

"I couldn't bloody well think, why doe's he have to be unclothed when he showers." She moaned throwing herself back on her bed.

Hermione began to giggle and Ginny glared at her.

"I mean it Hermione it shouldn't be allowed. There he was standing there in a towel staring at me like I'd shot him. Ugly indeed, was staring at him like a love struck goose. No, more like he was the Christmas goose and I was tiny Tim all ready to cut in. If I had admitted that, he would have known I thought him anything but ugly." Ginny protested.

"And?" Hermione asked still confused.

"AND then he would know! Isn't that bad enough? He can't just dump me then expect to pick up where we left off." Ginny continued to seethe crossing her arms stubbornly.

Hermione raised an eyebrow. "So that good bye snog you gave him last year was what exactly?"

Ginny blushed. That was hardly fair. It had been obvious to the whole world the three of them were making plans and that they would be off soon. The three of them could very well have died out there. If Harry was going to die she had wanted to say goodbye to him in the best way she knew how. To cling to memories of his taste and smell and the way he looked when he smiled at her.

Why did she have to love him?

"That was a please come home, ask me on a date, go on a few then marry me kind of kiss. Not a, free kicks just say the word and I'll come running." Ginny clarified sadly, wondering if that's how Harry truly saw her.

Hermione nodded crossing the room, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "of course it was. Ginny, I hate to point this out but Men are different then women. Always have been and always will be. It's arguable who's smarter or stronger but women are usually more sensitive to this kind of thing. Let him stumble around for a bit, he'll figure it out. I have it on good authority he cares a lot for you. He'll find the right words eventually. They usually do" Hermione frowned, lines appearing in her brow. "Even Ron did, before Harry for that matter and that's a miracle so you have nothing to worry about."

The two of them broke out in peels of laughter.

(Change of view)

"That was a low blow." Ron grumbled turning over in his bed.

"You ever slept on the couch for three nights in a row?" Harry replied unapologetically from his bed.

"Do you really want to shag Ginny?" Ron asked. Harry paused.

"isn't this a dangerous mode of conversation?"

"Harry answer the question." Ron sighed exasperated.

"Well…hear me out ok." Harry began.

"I'm listening," Ron replied.

"Well on a purely physical level, I won't lie she's attractive and I'm not a robot so yes. It's not like I would shy away from the opportunity. On an emotional level however, I have far to much respect for her, and you for that matter to treat her like that."

"Really? Harry that's really sensitive. Even if _she _wanted to?" Ron asked.

"She doesn't. End of story. I don't think she finds me as attractive as I find her. Do you think I should try and straighten my hair, it is kind of a mess." Harry wondered.

" Alright sensitive is ok but don't turn into a bloody woman. If she thinks your mug is ugly move on, there are other women out there."

As Ron drifted off to sleep comforted by the notion that Harry wasn't lurking around corners trying to lead his innocent baby sister astray he missed Harry's muttered reply.

"The problem is I can't seem to see any others."

(change of scene)

_**On a note scribbled between Hermione and Ginny.**_

_So I went to take a shower this morning._

_And?_

_Ron came out._

_Puke._

_Not for me, I'm sorry I didn't believe you about the not thinking part._

_Men shouldn't be allowed to shower._

_Imagine the smell darling._

_Right. Like I said they should do it clothed._

Over Ginny's shoulder Fred arched an eyebrow. To the entire breakfast table he announced.

"I'm so sorry I shower naked. Wasn't aware that was an offensive practice, Ron Harry the girls would prefer if you were clothed when you showered. Apparently it offends them." He finished smugly not bothering to hide his grin.

The two girls turned scarlet as the twins began to chortle into their eggs, Mrs. Weasley looked aghast and Ron and Harry's eyes strayed from them to the scrap of parchment they quickly crumbled.


	3. Chapter 3: Friends

-1Hermione had seriously had enough. For a week now she had dealt with this chaos. It was really not much fun staying at the burrow when Ron was too embarrassed to spend time with her, meaning he monopolized Harry's time. Not that she didn't like Ginny, she considered her like a little sister and the dearest of friends.

She just missed her boys.

When one turned scarlet every time he drew near her and found an excuse to leave the room, and the other felt obligated, and compelled by Ginny's glares, to go with him it was hard to find quality time with them.

And really it was ridicules on both accounts. She didn't care what Ron chose to dream about. At least not enough to let it drive them apart. She had thought after all the progress they had made last year they would finally make a go of things. Apparently not.

As for Ginny, she could hardly knife Harry with her eyes every time he entered the room and then bemoan the fact that he had seemed to loose interest in trying to speak to her.

So this morning when Ron and Harry arrived at the table late, and Ron turned bright red and looked ready to make his usual grab some food and dash she flat out asked him.

"You know, I'm kind of tired of being confused. Am I or am I not your Girlfriend?"

Ron blinked like she'd just turned into a troll in front of his eyes, Ginny choked on her juice and Mrs. Weasley had to stifle a chortle.

"Well…I… uh…" Ron stammered clearly trying to think of something to say, to get his bearings back.

"Cause if I am, then I would really appreciate it if you, you know didn't flee the room every time you saw me in it. It doesn't strike me as healthy in a relationship. Your dreaming about me although not the most flattering thing is a healthy…if redundant…thing to do. I can handle it believe me. I'll just make a point to remember not to ask you how your sleep was. Can we agree on that?" She asked him, voice so sweet it could poison.

Ron agreed, glaring at the sniggering twins.

"You two have your own place, why don't you ever eat there." he snapped at them.

The twins glanced between each other an laughed. "Yeah, right us. Cook. Good one Ron almost as great as the look on your face just now. Do you honestly thing we would miss any of this?" they both jeered.

"Back to the point." Hermione sighed. She turned to Ginny.

"Ginny I do love you dear, and Harry is very very sorry if he was a bit high handed, unchivalrous, presumptuous, arrogant, crass and pigheaded towards you. He truly did not mean to imply that you at all thought him worth the time of day. He promises never to infer such a thing unless you give him reason to believe other wise. Right Harry?"

When Harry didn't answer Ron kneed him under the table.

"Right." he grunted clearly not liking the fact that he had to agree.

Amazingly Ginny leapt to his defense. "I never said he was pigheaded or crass. I just thought he was being a bit high handed. You made him sound like the lowest buggar that ever climbed his way out of a gutter. Harry is not that bad."

Harry snapped to attention staring at her as if he feared to hope. "I'm not?"

The twins didn't bother to just snigger behind their hands. They burst into full bellied laughter.

(change of scene)

Their first afternoon back as a unit was going well in Ron's opinion. It might be going better if they weren't currently shopping. Since they were on a tremulous truce with the ladies, he supposed allowing them the choice of how they spent the afternoon wasn't too great a sacrifice.

"Ooh, Ginny look at this pair of pots. They refill with soil and it waters itself?" Hermione gushed shoving a brightly colored garden pot beneath his sisters nose.

Who bloody well cared? Ron couldn't see much point in wasting time bringing the outdoors inside. It belonged outside, that's why it was called the outdoors. And nature had a handy habit of watering itself, but nobody gushed over the rain.

Women.

He turned to Harry a pained expression on his face. "Always bloody shopping? You would think Hermione might have some sense even if other girls don't. What is this fascination with wandering down isles without really buying anything. Come in get what you need and get out I say."

Harry nodded in agreement then shrugged. "At least it's not cloths. Aunt Petunia used to take hours. And she always came up with something horrid so I never saw the point of so much fuss."

"And it's like a bloody troll war tagging along. Mark my words as soon as they get near clothing women get even stranger Harry." Ron shook his head disparaging the very notion.

Harry nodded. "Aunt Petunia used to ask me if a dress made her look chubby, The woman was as skinny as a bean pole so of course I'd say no. Then she'd accuse me of lying and wrap me on the head for giving her sass."

"They never believe you don't even try mate. Women get right funny in the head when it comes to what they wear. It's first it's too small, then it's too big, it's to baggy or too tight, or missing pieces." Ron sighed watching Ginny handle a quill that was spinning around on a show counter.

"Can't say I mind the missing pieces part." Harry admitted ruefully.

Ron grinned then catching Harry's eyes flickering to his sister he frowned. "Neither can I, I guess. Except when it comes to my sister."

"isn't that a little hypocritical mate. She's a woman too." Harry pointed out.

"She's a little girl." Ron insisted.

"Oh for heavens sake Ron she's seventeen it's not like I'd be stealing any cradles." Harry sighed in exasperation.

"Nobody knows what's good for them at that age, I don't care what the bloody law says." Ron snarled stubbornly.

"Hello? _you _ were that age a few months ago. Please inform me, when did this miraculous maturity spring up on you. I haven't seen it yet."

"What do you want from this argument Harry? For me to admit I like my sister only wearing half an outfit? It's not going to happen. Ever. Even if she was thirty." Ron pointed out the obvious.

Harry sighed looking over at Ginny. He supposed it was the truth. Ron wasn't mad at him anymore, but that didn't mean he would ever like the fact that his baby sister was growing up and becoming a woman.

How Ron could look at her and see a little girl was beyond Harry. He couldn't look at her that way. Lord knows he had tried, and dammed hard too.

Nope, when she spoke her voice both soothed and did something funny to his insides. When any part of his body accidentally brushed hers it felt as soft as silk and made him think of things he knew he shouldn't.

When she wasn't angry with him, when they spent long hours in the night talking she definitely didn't think like a child. She was a woman, the most beautiful one he had yet to see, and oddly enough it was not an outside kind of thing. He liked the outside, his body liked to inform him of that fact at the most inopportune of times.

Still, Ginny was neither famously beautiful nor even classically pretty in a general sense of the term. She was hardly hideous, she had never failed to attract boys at Hogwarts once she grew into herself, a fact that had irritated him greatly, she did have a fair face and form…

_Thinking about her form is what ticks her brother off about you. _

…Harry dragged his thoughts back to his point. The point being that there was just something about Ginny. The way she smiled, the way she wasn't afraid to speak her mind. How bold she was one minute, and how shy she could be the next. She could be both firm and incredibly tender. Her touch could comfort him in a way that was incredibly soothing, and unique to her.

He had discovered more then once on the bank side of the lake that it could also agitate and frustrate him. At the time he had barely even understood why. Something about only having stolen moments between classes and detention with Snape having to tear himself away from her side, left his skin feeling taught, scratchy, and him on some sort of edge he didn't have a name for.

He had figured it out.

Ron wouldn't like it. He'd take Hermione's advice and keep it to himself.

(change of scene)

As the four of them sat in the grass outside the burrow watching the stars twinkle into view above them Ginny had never felt more at peace. She was glad they were all on speaking terms again. Today had been fun, despite the boys apparent boredom with shopping they had made up for it with dinner and ice cream.

It was like they had never been fighting. Ron and Hermione had taken to walking hand in hand, leaving she and Harry to walk next to each other and make their own conversation.

It was nice. This was what she wanted, moment's like this with her family and friends surrounding her and Harry sharing it with her in obvious enjoyment.

His smile was so incredibly sweet as he plucked a blade of grass and pointed at Ron, whom was whispering in Hermione's ear. He caught her eye and rolled his making a face.

Ginny stifled a giggle, scooting closer to his side so that she could whisper in his ear.

"I don't know whether I think it's sweet or sick." She laughed.

His eyes dancing with humor he nodded and replied on a whisper. "I know what you mean. I suppose it was bound to happen though. I'm just happy they finally went official, only took them a few centauries."

His eyes were so incredibly green. She had never seen a color like them, didn't really think any other shade compared. She enjoyed the feel of cool grass against her skin in contrasted to the nearness of him and the heat she felt coming from his body being pressed up against hers.

The best thing about this moment was that Harry was completely at peace. He was not worried about any dark clouds looming on the horizon. There was no dark lord to mar his happiness no great destiny to fulfill. He was just Harry, happy to be staring at stars for no reason other then to look at them.

Happy to share a private joke with her, and more importantly, Happy.

The way he smiled so softly as if he was reveling in the moment made her heart pull.

"What about us though. Ginny I meant what I said when I broke up with you. It wasn't because I didn't want to be with you, or didn't care. I didn't want you to get hurt. As long as he was alive you were in danger if I was connected to you like that." Harry spoke softly.

His hand had brushed against hers as if asking permission.

She knew all of that. It was still hard to put her trust in something that although she had hoped for, she had never really thought she would ever have. She had half expected him to die, it had broken her heart but it was the most likely outcome. He was just a seventeen year old boy going up against a dark lord far stronger then he.

"I was ready when you got back. It's been months since then Harry." She whispered in the dark. That had hurt, more then she was willing to admit. She had been ecstatic of course that it was all over, and devastated at the cost of their triumph.

"I know. I wasn't in any shape emotionally for a girlfriend. Remus had just died, not to mention Tonks, Moody, Dobby Percy, even poor Collin. It took me a little while to pull myself out of grief and start living my life a little." Harry explained softly again brushing her hand with his.

She suddenly felt incredibly selfish. Being hurt because Harry didn't immediately cast aside everything to be with her. He had lost so much over the years. Had never truly had time to grieve for any of it. Not when he still had a destiny hanging above him like a dark cloud. Free for the first time, of course it would all rush to the surface and he would have needed time to sort it all.

"I know Harry, I understand. I guess I'm the one that's not ready yet." She sighed softly.

This time when his hand brushed hers she laid it flat on the grasp and allowed his fingers to intertwine with hers.

She smiled over at him. She had spent a lot of time being selfish she realized. She said what she said next because she loved the look of happiness on his face and never wanted it to change. If he need time to just grow and be then she would gladly give him all the time he needed.

"Let's be friends Harry."

He frowned slightly, staring at her in hesitation. "is that…what you…want?" He asked her.

For a brief moment she considered saying no and admitting she would really like him to kiss her and that enough was enough, time was a wasting.

(Harry's Pov)

_Friends. She wants to be friends._

_Is she crazy?_

_I don't make a habit of wanting to kiss friends. Since Hermione is the only female friend I have, other then luna and that's not happening. _

He could only sit and wait, in his heart of hearts waiting and watching her spin around like a ballerina in the depths of his soul. Enchanting him, yet always separate from him, held from him.

Surely she was the best one, the only one there was. Cause there she danced within him refusing to be driven away. Laughing and smiling he didn't even want her to go. He could only try desperately to clasp her hand so that he could join in the dance. So that they would move as one being and he would feel completed and whole.

And maybe then he could sleep at night. 

_What in the bloody hell was all that gibberish. Ron's right you're turning into a bloody woman. She clearly doesn't think of you the way you think of her. _

_Do like Ron says and find another._

He was afraid he couldn't. he was afraid that somewhere along the line Ginny weasley had snuck inside him and thief that she was, stolen his heart.

(Ginny's POV)

_Actually I think we've been friends for far too long. I look at you and want so much more but already know you aren't willing to give it._

_I'm afraid you only like what you see, and don't really see me._

_Part of me really doesn't care, as long as you keep looking at me just like this. Like you never want to look at anything else._

_You Harry Potter are the best thing that ever happened to me and the worst all at once._

He always seemed to give her nothing but farewells, and smash the best of her dreams.  
Leaving her tear stained and cloudy eyed to pick up the pieces of her life. Yet she still wanted to hold him. To know all of him, to be part of him. Both in body and in life. To sneak into his room when his dreams grew troublesome, and hold and kiss him until it was far too late for her to say goodnight.

It was probably wiser to find somebody with a better track record. One she wouldn't be constantly waiting for.

But she couldn't, that would require asking for the heart he had clearly stolen back.

And that was selfish.

She smiled brightly instead. " Yes, I like you Harry and I don't want us to argue anymore. Let's just take things slow. Maybe one day we'll both be ready."

As Harry nodded looking resigned, but content to turn his gave back to the stars, as his hands slipped from hers, she was convinced some one should shoot her for stupidity.

(Later that night)

"FRIENDS!" Hermione shrieked aghast as Ginny relayed to her their conversation in the yard earlier.

Ginny already felt miserable, she didn't need Hermione to make it worse. "Yes, he clearly needs healing time and I want him to be happy Hermione."

"You and Harry Potter cant be _friends. _ It's impossible. Want to know why Ginny. Because friends don't look at friends like Harry looks at you, and I sure as heck never ogled Harry like you do. _I'm _friends with Harry. If he came strutting into this room needing me to tie his knickers strings, I might wonder why he couldn't do it himself, but I could do it without batting an eyelash. You two would end up shagging before you could blink. Then Ron would kill him, and I'd have to kill you for being so stupid as to suggest that you and HARRY POTTER BE FRIENDS!"

Ginny could only stare in awe as Hermione stomped around her bed voice rising steadily in octave as she vented. She was a little offended however, did everyone here think she was easy? That she would just fall into bed with Harry without a second thought? Was that even an issue.

"I Could to tie his strings without acting like Pansy Parkinson on a hot day! I don't know why everyone thinks I've got the morals of a she-dog, but I assure you I can handle myself." Ginny replied staunchly in her own defense.

"Never said you couldn't. It's him you cant handle. Welcome to the adult world Ginny. It goes like this. Boy wants girl, Girl wants boy. Boy and Girl cant live in the same house and be friends because Boy eventually touches girl. Boy and girl shag like bunnies ruining the illusion that friends was ever a possibility. While Boy's best friend kills Boy when it all could have been prevented if Girl had just said yes when Boy wanted to date her." Hermione finished with a pointed glare in her direction.

"We are not bunnies and enough with the shagging ok. Nobody is shagging anybody, why do we keep talking about it!" Ginny threw up her hands in exasperation.

"Only because we were at each others throats up until now. But I can guarantee that won't last for long!" Hermione scoffed.

"Well since Harry and I won't be, I can't see how you figure that unless you and Ron…" Ginny paused seeming to realize just then that Her brother and Hermione, were young healthy and of age and that it was a possibility. "EWW SICK!"

"Oh for heavens sake Ginny it was bound to happen to him sooner or later, did you think he was going to be a Virgin his whole life." Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Yes! One could only hope. Excuse me if I don't like to picture him that way. It's fine if you do but leave me out of the gory details." Ginny shuddered.

Hermione threw up her hands. "I give up."


	4. Chapter 4: The Bet

_**To Dudley Dursley at number four Privet Drive **_

_Dear Dudley,_

_Sorry about the owl, I know Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon hate owl post. Hopefully they don't give you too hard a time about us corresponding. Well maybe I'm hoping for a little ribbing but not disownment. Thanks for the invitation but I think I'll stay here for a while. Something about listening to Aunt Petunia wail about how I've cursed you into not loathing the utter sight of me anymore, curls my stomach. How am I doing? Wow Dudley that was considerate of you to ask, the BIG D that I know couldn't of strung that sentence together a year ago. Kidding…barely. And you're right I really do tear the mickey out of you and I apologize. Can't say I'm to fashed about it mate, I wont lie you did far worse to me and I think it's more then slightly deserved. Are we friends yet by the way? Not too sure anymore._

_Oh, send a reply with the owl I can't stand muggel post._

_Harry._

_**To Harry Potter I'm just gona tye it too the Owls leg.**_

_Harry,_

_Why not? Mum and Dad said yes, don't see why you cant spand a week here. Dad is mad about the owl, doesn't want me talkin to you. How is at the Weasley place, there a funny lot, but I liked the sister. You had it for her I could tell. Just come, they will stay out of our way, Promise._

_Dudley._

_**To Dudley Dursley at number four Privet Drive **_

_Dudley,_

_Have you gotten your Hogwarts letter eight years to late then? Been learning magic on the sly cousin? Cause magics about the only thing that could restrain them from saying their piece. Really mate all jokes aside, It's not that I don't want to see you it's them. Glad you and I are beginning to settle our differences but can't see that happening with them, well ever. I'm running short on enemies lately so I have to hold onto the ones I have. Your mum and Dad, and Draco Malfoy are on a very short list these days. Ron and I have invited some old friends to spend the weekend, sort of catch up so I couldn't come even if I wanted to suffer their snide. And besides it's about two weeks before term starts, if you make one joke about my being held back I'll hex you the next time I see you. I almost planted Uncle Vernon one when he made that jibe about me failing everything. As for Ginny, get your mind out of the Gutter. _

_Harry._

_**To Harry Potter **_

_Harry,_

_I forgot you where going back to scool. And your mind likes to swim in the same gutter my mind does so come off it. Well if you didn't want us ribbing on you why wont you tell us why yous doing it all over again? Always thought you were smart. _

_Dudley._

_**To Dudley Dursley at number four Privet Drive **_

_Sorry to disappoint you Mr. Spell it. I'll try harder. You're welcome to spend the weekend with all of us…_

"HOLD IT THERE MATE! What are you doing?"

Harry was startled, when an affronted shriek sounding form over his shoulder and his quill was ripped from his hand unceremoniously.

"Fred what's your deal?" Harry snapped snatching his quill back, frowning at the ink blotches marring what had been a perfectly penned note.

"My deal Harry is you inviting that cousin of yours to the house." George responded.

Harry rolled his eyes, "Not that it matters, but I was talking to Fred. And neither of you live here so what does it matter."

"It matters mate, because he's a muggle and we can't do magic in front of them remember the law mate?" Fred insisted jabbing George with an elbow when he let out a dispersive snort.

Harry raised an eyebrow not buying it as George had known he wouldn't. "He's family, you're allowed to do magic in the presence of a muggle if they are in your own family."

"The real reason he don't want your cousin here mate is because we've seen the way things are with you and Gin, and adding your cousin to the mix could prove explosive." George admitted candidly.

What on earth were they on about, Harry wondered, He didn't have to wait long for them to explain.

"How long have you and Ginny been, what's the word Fred?" Goerge asked pretending confusuion.

"Friends my dear George Friends. Simple, platonic, sweet, utterly chaste friends." Fred sighed as if it were a crime.

"Right that's the word. Mind you Harry we didn't want you pawing our sister but we did expect you to be moving faster then a snails pace, so we've come to offer our help." George grinned diabolically at him.

"Hint number one, inviting your cousin who has the biggest crush on the girl you like, is a no no. You're taxed enough as it is; trying to keep your hands to yourself without having to add jealously to the mix." Fred advised sagely.

Harry didn't know whether to be alarmed or laugh. "Ginny and Dudley. Ginny and Dudley. One more time, don't think I heard you right, my Dudley, with my Ginny?"

"She's a bloody woman mate, no telling why they choose what they choose. I'm telling you she could bloody well think the lumping lards charming and go for it. She always did like a man of few words and seeing as he can only say about five sentences a minute without a brain overload she might just fall for him." George warned direly.

Harry thought it was ridicules and that the twins were overplaying a harmless crush on his cousins part. It took two to tango and Ginny would never.

"Think about how this weekend has been laid out, Mum and Dad at Bill's Lee staying out our place. Luna, Neville, Seamus, Dean, and Lavender. Lavender and Dean are a couple, else we'd advice you to ex him off the list as well. Ron and Hermione are a couple. You and Ginny if you had a brain in your head would be a couple. Neville's got it bad for Luna, and Seamus went south. This weekend is designed for couples, with couples in mind. I'm telling you, you wont be able to safely enter a bedroom without a blind fold and do you really want it to be with Dudley?" Fred shuddered at the ominous prospect.

Harry couldn't really help it. Though it was extremely unlikely, almost bloody impossible and he was sure the very thought would send Ginny to the lavatory to throw. Though he himself could not respect a woman whom would even consider Dudley in his present state, he could not stop the hair raising image from forming in his mind.

"He's throwing a whitey Fred." George smirked.

He wasn't one for vulgar talk, but Harry had to agree. He glared at them both for plaguing him with the thought in the first place.

Still. He found himself crumpling up his original letter. He told himself that Dudley really didn't know any of the others coming, and that perhaps the twins did have a point. Everyone coming except Seamus was either already with someone or interested in someone that was going to be there. Dudley would be out of place and feel unwelcome.

They really couldn't have that.

-&-

_**To miss Luna Lovegood Haversherd Rd Hillberry Wales**_

_Lu,_

_I know Harry has sent you an invitation to the Weasleys for a weekend get together and you have responded with a yes. What I need to know is if you have any feelings for Harry whatsoever. _

_Hermione._

_**To Hermione Jane Granger, at the Weasleys, At the burrow, in England.**_

_What? Your letter was so unlike you Hermione that I feared for a moment that it was a Griben trying to trick me. They've been doing that a lot since Dad died. I keep thinking I see him everywhere or hear his voice, but I know it's just the Gribens. Harry is wonderful of course, and if not classily good-looking there is something about him that is charming. But doesn't he have a thing for Ginny, I may be a bit batty but even I could see that. Was I wrong?_

_Luna._

_**To miss Luna Lovegood Haversherd Rd Hillberry Wales**_

_Sorry to disappoint, but I'm no Griben. I am glad you will be coming this weekend, we all need time to forget grief and just enjoy being alive. No you are not wrong Harry I believe is in love with Ginny and she him but they need a little push. Ginny has come up with some mad cap scheme that the two of them can be friends. I'm at my wits end, I didn't want any undo conflict of you coming and liking Harry adding even more trouble. Sorry for the presumption. See you tomorrow._

_Hermione._

Luna sighed refolding the letter from Hermione in her traveling case. In about five minutes she was going to floo into the burrow and put her plan into action. Harry had done so very much to help her over the years, and never failed to give of himself even when it was perhaps unwise.

She understood him because he was like looking in a mirror and seeing all of her hurts, fears, loss, and loneliness. He had been the first one to care and continued to care and she would always owe and love him for that. Perhaps not the sort of love she might have wished, but she had learned long ago not to pine after what she couldn't have.

No, she had seen from the first where Harry's interests lay and it had not been her so she had staunchly put the thought aside. She was far too busy reporting for and helping run the Quibbler to concern herself with romance.

Maybe she that wasn't such a good thing, for had she been paying attention she might have noted her friends were in dire need of, _a little push._

Luna grinned to herself. Why she had just the thing. As far as she knew, Ron and Hermione were doing ok, but Harry and Ginny were lagging.

Ginny's problem was she thought far too much, and likewise Harry always gave up far too quickly. It was amazing how stubborn and staunch he could be when it came to battling foes, but when it came to matters of the heart he fled like a fawn.

Perhaps he had never had anyone to teach him, or something worth fighting for before. He was missing out and she just wouldn't let that happen.

Solution. Get Ginny so mad she wasn't thinking. Force Harry to have to fight…either for her or to keep her off him.

Luna grinned. Somehow she didn't see the later happening.

She had spent a lot of time this last year dealing with now finding herself an orphan, yet another thing they had in common. This assignment brought excitement and anticipation back into her life.

-&-

_**July 17 **_

_**In the diary of Janie Hewert**_

_Dear Diary,_

_I find myself in constant despair. It seems to me that this madcap game the world calls love is hardly worth the effort. It makes fools out of men and brings an ugliness out of women that I can't stand. Jamie although my sister, I find shares not an inkling of my aversion to making fools of men._

_As if men weren't already foolish enough, must she flaunt herself turning them speechless when it was hard enough to get good conversation out of them in the first place? She took my jar money again without asking. I would move out of her apartment but I won't be able to afford one if she keeps taking my savings. Her shiny new pair of dragon hide boots was not the investment I would have put the money towards._

_Jamie is not the only one, today at the shop while Jamie was of course looking at her reflection never mind all that needed to be done. A couple our age came in. The man was good looking I suppose but being a stunning five foot three I have made a point to ignore tall men that make me look like I'm three. He dwarfed me, if ever we were to have dated if not for the dark hue of his skin, I could just imagine the comment. "Is that your little sister?"_

_Well, due to his height and My aversion to all things male I might have completely ignored him except his twit of a girlfriend… Tall leggy, with hair that breathed on it's own and cloths that could feed three orphanages for a year… was helping him shop. Clearly a man of his hight needed a size tall with extra leg room. His painted doll of a girlfriend wanted the more fashionable straight legs with tight waist and that we only carry in a size small. _

_Disaster. The poor man. _

_The fact that he let her convince him, when clearly stepping into those would ruin any chance of him ever having children just proves to me that when it comes to love. Women are selfish and men are foolish._

_Prime example? Jamie and Seamus. Nice guy, until he met my sister._

-&-

At precisely ten o'clock three things happened. Harry should have known inviting his friends without proper adult supervision was the beginning of disaster. If not forewarned by the very fact that teenagers newly released from the restrictions of Hogwarts, heady on their new adult status would be uncontrollable, the very nature of their arrival should have been clear warning of the chaos about to abrupt.

Harry had been sitting in the living room impatiently eyeing the time for the first of the arrivals, playing a board game with Ginny. Who each time his eyes flicked to the clock sent another of her dragons to invade his side of the board.

"Better pay attention Harry before my Dragons capture your princess." Ginny warned him even as one of her miniature dragons reared back it's head and burnt a couple of the nights protecting his princess to ashes. Their chillingly life like screams tinkled against the walls of the room.

Harry considered himself very good at Wizzards and Dragons, could usually even give Ron a run for his money, and Ron was known for his skill at strategy games. He was doing miserable poor with Ginny, either constantly distracted by his anticipation for their guests or the smell of her, as he caught whiffs of her perfume.

Women always had to smell so bloody nice. How was a bloke supposed to talk to a girl when she smelled like something he wanted to eat, not hold a conversation with. And then they got mad when you stared too long.

Harry dragged his eyes away from the curve of her neck and dragged them back to his board where he was startled to find his army in sad disarray, looking hatefully up at him and the princess they guarded looking very mulish and unhappy. Even with her artificial intelligence she could see there wasn't much hope of her not becoming Dragon snack.

Despite his current inability to play a simple board game, he was thoroughly enjoying spending time with her, enjoyed so much, watching her laugh with delight each time she got the better of him that it was almost worth the sacrifice to his pride.

"Blimey Mate, what sort of move was that? Her Emerald Green is going to bake your…" Ron's warning came to late, Harry's mage Knight was already charging forward at his direction, leaving his position behind Harry's princess to charge a Welsh Yellow dragon. Sending a tiny makeshift spell through the offending piece the Welsh Yellow shattered into ash.

Unfortunate for Harry's poor hero, he had abandoned his princess leaving a gap in her defenses. A clear shot for an Emerald Green Dragon to her left.

The tiny screams of his baking princess pointed out clearly his error. Harry smiled as Ginny clapped her hands pumping one fist in the air in victory. Her eyes danced at him as she laughed. "Ha! I got your Princess Harry. Told you I could beat you. Honestly, you boys make this game look so difficult with all your grumbling. I told you it would be easy."

Ron shook his head in disgust as Harry could only grin at her and congratulate her on her victory.

"Play me one round Ginny. I won't be as easy to beat as Harry who I swear didn't even look at his board the whole game. It takes a lot of strategy…"

"Oh Come off it Ron, I beat Harry fair and square. You didn't let me win did you?" She turned to ask him. The way her eyes snapped Harry was glad he could be honest and admit it was all his fault, and poor concentration on his fault, not deliberately going easy on her. He would also leave out the fact that if she didn't look so fetching in the creamy top she was wearing he could have had her at seven different points during the game.

Actually concentrating on the board now he could see she had put all her forces on the attack leaving her Alpha Dragon wide open from both flanks. The only thing protecting her the fact that Harry was surrounded.

Ron was about to continue to insist that Wizzards and Dragons took much cunning and skill and that Harry was an imbecile for playing such a poor game when the fire place suddenly sputtered shooting green flame. Hermione looked up from the book she was reading to exclaim in delight as the first of their guests arrived.

"For the last time Lav, she was nothing just a bloody clerk!" Dean Thomas stepped haggardly from the fire place angrily brushing green and gray soot from his pants and shaking it out of his hair.

Appearing moments behind him lugging the biggest travel case Harry had ever seen, and one smaller one was Lavender Brown. Her brown hair was fixed into a flowing style around her ears and then pinned up in the back. Harry supposed it was the latest style, but hardly keeping up with such things he couldn't really be sure.

She angrily shook soot from her hair stamping one booted heel in irritation. She looked as always dressed in something so incredibly impractical and odd Harry could only assume it was fashionable. Such fripperies flummoxed him and only convinced him the female sex was utterly batty.

Her top looked interesting, only half there and He didn't really understand how it was staying on without straps, magic he supposed. It was pink and white with lace on the hem and her jean skirt was enchanted to look like a sunset. It shimmered and caught his eye with the depth of colors swiftly changing within the folds of fabric.

He noticed Ron staring as well and instantly felt dark clouds swinging over the horizon as Hermione glowered. Harry shot Ron a look, warning him.

_Don't oggle your ex._

He wasn't a book on romance or anything, but even he knew that.

"Don't insult my brains Dean, I saw the way she was flirting with you. She giggled like a hyena. The least you could of done was not flirt back!" Lavender accused him dropping her bags and glaring at him hands on her hips.

"I wouldn't have to insult them if you'd use them Lav. Why in the world would I flirt with a clerk girl when I have you. Especially when you were standing right there! Stop making something of nothing." Dean sighed picking up the cases she had dropped. Lavender was having none of it and reached to grab her stuff from him.

"I can carry it myself. Wouldn't want you to strain yourself. Since you need randy clerk girls to help you zipp your pants lifting a travel case might just do you in!" Lavender sneered stomping past him heading for the stairs.

Ron blinked at them both in shock. "Hi welcome to the house make yourself at home." He mumbled under his breath just as Dean let out a frustrated sound and shouted after her.

"For the last time Lavender. I told you I wasn't that size! I'm tall those things nearly strangled me! I needed her help getting them off!"

The could all hear Lavenders voice floating down the stairs in shrill tones. "You could have called me! Instead you had that second rate hussy's hands all over you. AND LIKELY STORY I DON'T BUY IT!"

Somewhere upstairs a door slammed.

Ron stared aghast as Dean turned and kicked the wall in frustration. "I hate Women! Why in the bloody hell do we chase after them. Maybe Seamus has the right of it I swear it's enough to drive a man south. I can't do anything right anymore. She nearly unmans me insisting I try on a pair of pants three sizes to small then gets mad when I call franticly for help."

Beside him Ginny had crossed her arms and arched an eyebrow. "You _could_have called for Lavender. Something about watching another woman peel you out of your pants might have upset her a little."

Hermione appeared in agreement to this both women wore mirroring frowns on their faces. Harry was tossing his money in with Dean

"You ever try squeezing into a pair of pants you wore when you were six? I swear I've never been so close to tears, felt like someone had taken a bear trap and clapped it around my…" Dean was muttering hastily trying to prevent him from scandalizing the girls Ron interjected with a cringe.

"Point taken mate. I wouldn't of cared who was getting me out of those things long as they were off. Lavender is over reacting."

Hermione sniffed and was about to reply when yet again the fireplace was sputtering green and someone stepped out of it.

Seamus usually cheerful grin was a welcome sight admits the tension he turned waiting as another figure stepped from the flames. Neville Longbottoms round and equally cheerful features greeted them. A puzzled frown was on his lips as they too, continued a conversation they had been having before their arrival.

"I'm telling you Nevie, if you really like her that much just tell her. She might be a little strange but she's first rate, you could do worse. Like Jamie, that woman could destroy a man. Watch out for those, she's the reason everyone thinks I've gone south I tell you." Seamus was saying.

Neville shook his head still confused. " But haven't you? I mean what about Kirk? Wasn't he your boyfriend?"

"My almost boyfriend. Thank the heavens I snapped out of that before I could sell my soul. Jaime likes to play games, and putting a few drops of love potion in my drink is not beneath her. What I want to know is why my friends didn't think it was odd? Everyone was so bloody understanding when I finally came too imagine my shock not to see Jaime but her brother Kirk. I almost jumped off a bridge. I'm content to say Jamie is a Bitch, Kirk is sadly troubled, the only savable one in the entire family is Janet." Seamus sighed disparagingly.

"Well Harry and Ron haven't seen you and the rest of us didn't know what to think. One minute all you could talk about was Jamie and we all warned you she was bad news but you insisted she was god's gift to mankind. Then one morning you and Jamie were over and there was suddenly Kirk. What were we supposed to think?" Neville defended himself and Dean.

"That perhaps that Harpy was making a bloody fool of me? That not once in my entire life did I ever express interest in another male and perhaps it was a tad bit out of order for me to suddenly have the hots for one. I'm glad I can't bloody well remember the last few months, else I might never have recovered from the shock. Good luck with Luna mate, I say good riddance to all women. If the thought didn't repulse me I would start liking men. For real this time." And turning sharply on his heel Seamus was stomping past them and up the stairs without so much as a hello.

Ron let out a squawk of indignation staring after their departing friend. Harry raised an eyebrow.

"What's going on with Seamus?" Hermione asked.

Neville was about to answer when once again the fireplace was jutting out green flame and someone came rushing from it's depths.

All Harry saw was a blur of blonde and brown as Luna toppled from the fireplace spilling the contents of her traveling case around her. Used to seeing her so frazzled Harry grinned and moved to offer her a hand up.

Neville was closer, he had offered his hand but surprisingly even though it had been offered a full twenty seconds later Luna took a hold of Harry's grinning up at him with the fey smile that he remembered.

He hadn't seen her since the batch of funerals, including her fathers after Voldemorts fall nearly a year ago. She looked just as he remembered, better even. At the funeral her naturally fair skin had been ghostly pale and her eyes soft and haunted. They looked bright with life now, curiously searching and knowing and too big for her face just as he remembered.

In the background Neville frowned and bent to gather up her things for her.

Her pale blonde hair was falling around her shoulders in disarray as if she had not bothered to comb it and her outfit would have made Lavender cringe. The stripped pants off set with the dotted top clashed horribly but was so very Luna that Harry was suddenly incredibly happy to see her.

"HARRY!" She exclaimed excitedly.

Harry had been just as Happy to see an old friend again, but was surprised when she leapt up to throw her arms around him squeezing him exuberantly.

He laughed, returning the hug with equal strength a wave of protectiveness washing through him. She had looked so fragile the last time he had seen her, she had been through so much, imprisonment, then facing the loss of a beloved parent. He had wanted to help her, to fix the wrong and the helplessness, his inability had frustrated him.

He smiled at her fondly, smoothing a wild strand of hair back away from her eyes.

"It's wonderful to see you Lu, we were afraid you weren't going to make it." He gave her one last squeeze finally letting go.

Luna nodded gazing up at him with happiness and affection. "I've been extra busy with the quibbler, I intend to run it myself one day once I learn everything. But right now I just report for it and help Celine in the press room. I wouldn't of missed seeing you for the world." She glanced down seeing Neville rise with her things put back to rights. She cast him a smile.

"Thank you Neville." Then turned back to Harry grabbing for his hand. "Come on, I have to show you what I've been working on. You won't believe what new species I've discovered. Gribens Harry can you imagine?"

Harry bit back a chuckle but couldn't hide his smile as she dragged him out of the parlor and up the stairs.

Behind them Neville was staring after Luna with something like disappointed resignation. Ginny glanced after their retreating forms with a speculative glance. She cast Neville a comforting glance.

"we've all been friends a long time and been through a lot. Once everyone calms down things will get better. Here Neville let me show you to your room." She rubbed his shoulder wringing a smile from him.

As the two of them disappeared Ron turned on Hermione.

"This is going to be a bloody disaster."

-&-

"Five and not a Sickel less brother. I say the Lovegood girl ends up with Harry, Longbottom throws a wobbly, and Brown makes a pitch for Ron to get back at Dean. By the end of the weekend it will be Harry Luna, Ron Lavender, Ginny Dean, leaving Seamus Hermione and Neville free." George haggled.

Fred shook his head, unable to resist entering the bet. " I say your wrong. I agree Luna makes a pitch for Harry, but Ginny's not one to stand by and let someone get the best of her. I say Luna makes a pitch but Ginny makes a pitch of her own, Ron beats Harry to a pulp cause of course he's going to go with Ginny. yeah Lavender makes a try for Ron but I can't see Hermione playing the field mouse either. She has a habit of getting violent when Ron casts his eyes away. He'll stay with Granger but get a few scratches in the process. Dean ends up with Luna and Lavender ends up with Seamus. Harry Ginny, Ron Hermione, Lavender Seamus, Neville Luna,"

Lee who was watching the twins argue over the outcome of what was sure to be an interesting weekend, and betting on the outcome could not resist throwing in his in put.

"Wrong, closer but wrong. Luna goes after Harry, Harry thinks of her like a little sister doesn't even see it coming. Ginny definitely sees it and reacts accordingly getting in Harry's face about it. Lavender gets it in her head to make Dean jealous and goes after Ron but Dean's not an idiot the break it off and Hermione eats her like yesterdays breakfast. Seamus is a wild card he may or may not end up alone, he's kind of had it with women for a while, not that I blame him. Neville has got a lot of back bone, he grew up fast last year. He'll fight for Luna so nothing will come of her advances on Harry. And I'm going to get Lavender once Dean ditches her. It's Ron Hermione, Harry Ginny, Neville Luna, and Lee Lavender."

The twins looked at each other and snorted. "You and Brown? The girl has taste."

Lee grinned, "Exactly my friends. Are we on?"

"What are the rules on meddling, are we allowed to prod things along?" They both asked shrewdly.

Lee shrugged, "Don't see why not I'm telling you how it's going to be."

The twins grinned. "Not with us pulling the strings. You're on mate."


	5. Chapter 5: The life of a clerk

_**To Charlie Weasley at number 87 Cockerel drive, Salisbury **_

_Dear Charlie,_

_Your Dad and I have left for the weekend to visit Bill and his family and help poor Fleur. Your father is simply tickled at the thought that we will soon be grandparents and with Bill working so hard Fleur could use some extra help we thought. We have left Ron, Ginny, Harry and Hermione at home and allowed them to invite a few friends to visit. We felt so badly having to leave them at home by themselves. Your father however has some doubts their being newly of age and not quiet as responsible as a father would like. He wanted to demand that Ron not invite any girls to spend the weekend but I pointed out it was a hopeless rule since his interest, and our daughters interest happens to be living with us. So to put your fathers mind at rest at some point during the weekend could you check on them?_

_Mum_

_**To Molly and Arthur Weasley, Apartment 4c Bond street London**_

_Why would you allow this? Dad has every right to worry; do you realize what you have done? You have let four newly legal teenagers who all have crushes on each other, alone for a weekend. I can't make it out there till Sunday. I will try to do damage control but dad might be twice a grandfather before he can blink._

_Give my love to Bill_

_Charlie._

_**To Charlie Weasley at number 87 Cockerel drive, Salisbury **_

_Charlie, we raised you better then to talk like that. Shame on you, Ron and Ginny have very good heads on their shoulders, you have your father wanting to leave for home immediately. Everyone needs to have a little more faith in their upbringing._

_Mum_

_**To Molly and Arthur Weasley, Apartment 4c Bond street London**_

_I never said there was anything wrong with their upbringing. Upbringing has nothing to do with it. Have you ever expressly told them even when they came of age it was off limits? Knowing that no you haven't because that's impractical, and from personal experience, they are under the misguided impression that since legally they are adults, that what they do is their own business and they're parents have no say. It's true to some extent but only if you make the HUGE error of leaving them alone for the weekend. So, on Sunday I will mop up the mess but I hate to be the bearer of bad news but there is going to be a mess._

_Charlie_

_**To Charlie Weasley at number 87 Cockerel drive, Salisbury **_

_What do you mean by personal experience young man? You and Bill were perfect models of good behavior, even when you came of age._

_**To Molly and Arthur Weasley, Apartment 4c Bond street London**_

_Yes…_

_And I'm sure the younglings will do EXACTLY as we did. That's why I'll be happy to just check in on them. No worries._

What a load of lies, Charlie Weasley thought to himself as he watched his owl disappear on the horizon. He and Bill as soon as they realized they could do magic any time they wanted, go anywhere they wanted, drink anything they wanted, and the mystery of all mysteries…do anything they wanted with the opposite sex without the law hammering down on their heads had gotten a little drunk of their new found power.

Although they had been Seventeen their entire seventh year it was hard to find enough time, and a private enough place for such things while still students. Never mind that one was Head boy and the other a prefect. They had been almost as spotless as choir boys…until they threw off their graduation robes.

Charlie barely remembered the first few months of being a free man probably due to his life style. Of course his mother thought he'd been an angle the only time she saw him was when he was sleeping off the night before. His girlfriends had been nice girls, well of course he wouldn't date a mean or crass girl who would flaunt what they did alone together in front of his mother. What went on behind closed doors was not for mother's ears and so Charlie's reputation as a level headed young adult went untarnished leaving Molly another mother content that her child was not one of the wild ones.

Most kids were wild and he had been no different, but there was a difference between young and tasting life for the first time and just plain stupid. Such as getting into a drunken mess and letting your parents find you that way. And he knew his baby brother, and the kid could be very very stupid.

-&-

Ginny was trying really, really hard not to want to murder Luna Lovegood. She adored the dear girl, _really she did_, but since her arrival yesterday she had not been separated from Harry's side.

They had been alone for hours together in her room unpacking, and then finally joined the rest of them for dinner. Ginny had gone to sit next to Harry, the way she had all summer only to find Luna and Harry had strolled in, in such deep conversation it would have been extremely rude to but her way into the conversation.

She had felt a small flash of annoyance but thought nothing of it, even as they remained close the rest of the evening. After all it was Luna! And although they had agreed to be friends it had been obvious they both wanted to date each other so she really shouldn't worry to much on where his affections lay.

Lavender had thought differently. After dinner the two of them had disappeared to who knew where, probably to investigate horned trickle bats or something like it. She had been changing into a lighter shirt, it was hot for evening when Lavender had burst in.

"Are you just going to let her take your man like that?"

Ginny had blinked at her in surprise after all the two of them had never been particularly close; she was always just somebody's girlfriend. First Ron's now Deans. She hadn't expected they would be sharing any confidences.

"What are you talking about?" She had asked.

"Oh don't say you don't see it? Luna and Harry. You can't pry them apart! She's playing it for all she's worth I saw him holding her in the garden just now. I usually say its all fair in love and war but I'd just about die if I lost to _Luna_. Thought I'd give you the heads up, no girl deserves that sort of humiliation."

"Hey, Luna's a capital girl and a brilliant friend Harry would be lucky to have her as a girlfriend!" Ginny leapt to Luna's defense irritated with the other girls attitude. Never mind the fact that if Luna ever got it into her head to chase after Harry she'd show her just how many hex's she was good at.

Lavender rolled her eyes and shrugged, "well it's good you think so. I thought you had a thing for him is all. They do make a nice pair, their both frightfully odd sometimes and…"

Ginny was about to turn around and yank the other girls perfectly pinned up hair till it separated from her scalp. Girls like her, gave all women a bad name. Lucky for Lavender that their was a slight rap on the door and Seamus entered with a grin and a swagger.

"Guess what ladies, Fred and George have offered us some grand entertainment for the evening." He pronounced grinning from ear to ear.

This couldn't be good.

"Are they taking us somewhere?" Lavender asked excitedly.

"Yep, do you realize we all officially came of age last year? What with Snape being Headmaster and Voldemort camped on the doorstep we really didn't have much of a chance to celebrate and experience all the new luxuries being adults has to offer." Seamus pointed out.

He was right, although they had been of age for a year now there hadn't been much time for doing any of the things that new found legal status entailed. Well for them anyway, Ginny had just come of age a few months back, but even she had been lax in this area.

It was not really her fault, seeing as most of the things were things her parents wouldn't condone in their house. They were things that most sixteen year olds couldn't wait for their seventeenth birthday for, such as drinking, sex, and clubbing.

Ginny had just been enjoying being able to do magic whenever she wanted. She didn't really need to go on a wild partying spree although she knew many a newly crowned adult wizard did just that.

"It's true; we had no real initiation into adult responsibilities and relationships. This is what I blame the entire Jamie and Kent episode on. She was the first adult woman I met and she ate me alive because I was still thinking like a sixteen year old." Seamus nodded sagely.

Ginny raised a skeptical eyebrow, "And how have the twins offered to help."

Seamus grinned wickedly, "If love is a game my dear, then we all need a little field practice. We're going clubbing ladies. Heavens knows you girls need hours to prepare so I'm telling you now."

Lavender squealed with delight then within seconds was groaning with horror. "I didn't bring anything to wear!"

Seamus frowned. "But you brought three trunks with you…" he began confused but Lavender was already interrupting cryptically.

"I wouldn't be caught dead outside, in any of those. We need to go to Diagon Alley. "

If Ginny arched her brow any higher it would be leaping off her face. "I thought you just said you wouldn't be caught dead outside in any of the cloths you brought with you?"

Lavender tossed her a sneer of disdain, "trust me we need to go shopping you could use a new outfit yourself."

Ginny treasured the fantasy of hexing Lavenders face till it broke out; her face would look like a mountain range by the time she was done.

She settled for just shrugging her shoulders and replying, "I look fine".

"Suite yourself but we're still going shopping all of us are."

-&-

"ALWAYS BLOODY SHOPPING"

Harry could hear Ron groaning as they passed yet another shop on the street. Somehow, yet again, the girls had roped them into being their escorts. Harry didn't mind quiet so much this time, Luna seemed less interested then the other girls in the miles of cloths. Walking beside her was never boring because although she wasn't a chatter box when she did speak Harry found it was worth listening to. Even when she went on about things that confounded everyone else there was something about her that made Harry laugh.

When she grew quiet and almost beautifully solemn, he knew she was thinking about her parents and missing them. This morning he had found her strolling in Mrs. Weasley's garden looking so incredibly fey and sad that he had not needed to ask. He had simply pulled her close and offered what comfort he could. He knew what it was like to miss people you loved, and above all to want parent's arms to hold you and to know it would never happen.

How much worse must it be for Luna who had been much older then a year, who had known the face and laugh of a mother just to loose her, and then to now loose her father as well?

The solemn moments were few with Luna, she looked at life to deeply to be forever sad. She had the ability to be unshaken no mater what life threw at her, an ability that Harry admired more and more in her. As they walked her arm had slipped into his and he found he didn't mind at all, it was fun strolling with her as she marveled not at cloths but at small trinkets that others thought bizarre or ugly, and sometimes at things nobody else could see.

When they tried on cloths she always came out with some sort travesty of an outfit that had Lavender groaning in pain, and that never failed to make him Grin. She was delightful, even if strange.

She made Shopping fun and that was a bloody miracle.

(Ginny POV)

As they left yet another shop, this one had been a sweet shop because the boys had begun to grumble about hunger. They now all had something to tide them over until they could grab an early dinner. Ginny couldn't hide her growing irritation. It wasn't that Harry was ignoring her so really she did not know why her mood kept darkening.

They were a rather large group so it was rather inevitable that separate conversations periodically broke out, faltered and reemerged into group discussion only to eventually break away again. When Ginny spoke to the group as a whole Harry gave her his complete attention, smiling as he always did when she made some quip remark. He and Ron got into a rather heated debate on whether flying on a broom without a guard was worse or better then a full day of shopping.

He even got into a discussion with Seamus about his ex, the dreadful Jamie and her revenge against their break up by spelling him into affection of the dreadful Kent. Whom Seamus, to the delight of the group impersonated as a blond gorilla with more muscle then brain whom had a rather horrific crush on the Irish boy.

Harry really wasn't doing anything wrong, so perhaps she was being overly paranoid. Drat Lavender and her warmongering was, but Ginny couldn't shake the notion that as much as he was paying attention to the group as a whole, he was paying extra attention to Luna.

Perhaps she was over analyzing how many private conversations the two of them dipped into, thirteen to be exact in the last hour, and perhaps she was reading too much into the way they had slung arms, and the way Luna seemed to have turned on some childlike charm that seemed to be melting Harry.

Not only were they arm in arm, but Harry was teasing her with that impish smile that he reserved for only his close friends. She'd only seen him do that with one other girl, Hermione, and he had never done it to her. She tried her best to not feel any jealousy. They were supposed to be friends! If they were such good friends, how come Harry didn't play with her hair the way he was playing with Luna's or smile so warmly at her instead of looking slightly pained like when he looked at Ginny.

Harry looked anything but pained, he looked like he was having a good time with a woman he enjoyed spending time with, and whom he was more then comfortable with.

She could deal with that.

Couldn't she? There was no need to turn into a shrew that saw every gesture as an advance on her territory.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Luna entwine her fingers with Harry's and the two of them laughing about something. She felt something within her give off a battle cry, and she had to fight not to rush over and chop the offending hand.

Lavenders look of disgust didn't help.

"All these stores and I can't find a single thing I like." She sighed as if it were a personal slight of the store owners.

"But you just bought three outfits from the last place." Neville pointed out.

"Obviously none of them are fit for clubbing. I need something that say's sexy but not trashy, something that say's I'm looking but not desperate." Lavender tried to patiently explain the mystery of the perfect outfit to Neville.

Dean looked up from his conversation with Seamus.

"What do you mean, you're looking?" he asked tensely.

"If you're aloud to get felt up by other girls, I'm allowed to look." Lavender shot back, Ginny saw her eyes flicker to where Ron and Hermione strolled, hand in hand deep in discussion about something.

She wasn't dumb enough to make a pass at her brother was she? Both she and Hermione would make mince meat out of her.

"For the last time Lavender…" Dean began exasperated.

"Oh look it's your mistress's shop! I'd refuse to go in but they do have some of the cutest cloths. Think you can keep your pants on this time?" Lavender interrupted him as they approached a small corner shop with a glittery sign that read " Hewert Stitchery,_ clothing not made by your mother_"

Ginny raised an eyebrow. She had of course heard of shops like this. Robe's and dress slacks and shirts were far more preferred by mothers of course but there were places that young unrestricted wizards could get other types of clothing to better…express themselves.

Perhaps this was just the thing though, Ginny didn't know much about clubs but she knew that one did not were shorts and a t-shirt, her usual summer dress. She had tried on a pair of nice dark blue dress robes at the last shop but Lavenders cry of despair had convinced her against it.

As Lavender and Dean glared back and forth, Seamus had paled looking angrily at the sign like it had done him some wrong.

"Do we have to shop here; I don't particularly want to see her again. Not that she ever did an honest days work." He mumbled.

Luna frowned, "is this where Jamie works?"

Seamus nodded, "She owns it, but most the time her younger sister Janie gets stuck running shop."

Dean raised a brow as Lavender's glare darkened. "That's the name of that clerk hussy who was giving Dean a feel."

"LAVENDER!" Dean threw up his hands.

Harry raised a brow, "Wait so Jaime owns the place, bloody hell Seamus how old is she."

"Only twenty five it's not like she's ancient." Seamus defended himself with a frown.

"You're eighteen Seamus." Hermione pointed out.

"It wasn't like it wasn't legal. And she said she really liked me. No need to point out my mistake guys I got it. She swallowed me and spit me back out. But hey, I'm a better man for it. So shall we?"

-&-

Jeannette, Janie to anyone who liked their teeth in their head, had just finished talking with her sister, Jamilla (better known as Jamie) in the office fireplace …

_Lazy, irresponsible man eater…_

Who had informed her that she had a date tonight and wanted her to work the late shift and to close up shop, _big surprise_, oh and not to forget to charm the doors shut this time.

She was only eighteen yet she was running a business that she didn't get any of the credit or money for running. Fresh from Hogwarts and looking for a job in business she had thought it was a gift of providence when her older sister had offered her a job as her assistant.

More like hell's gates opening wide, but she hadn't known that then. And she couldn't complain to her parent's either. Her father expected her to be an adult and praised Jamie for not coddling her. Janie didn't need to be coddled, she'd show anyone who tried a thing or to, but she did expect fair play. An art her superficial sister didn't seem to have mastered.

She knew there were more customers because the door when opened was enchanted to sing the Hex Brothers latest hit. It's grating repetitive chords was the lead song on the soundtrack of her own private hell. She swept a few stray wisps of her mouse brown hair out of her eyes, and plastered a smile on her face as she left the office to greet whoever had entered.

(Ginny PoV)

The infamous clerk did not look at all like one would imagine a nefarious scarlet woman to look. Why she looked like any other girl working a summer job, she was wearing a silk black skirt and some sort of gauzy top that looked entirely impractical to work in, and oddly enough white sneakers that even Ginny, who hardly paid attention to such things, knew was a fashion don't.

She did not have the perfectly styled blonde hair of a sex kitten, nor the raven glistening hair and red lips of a vixen. She had rather plain brown hair that couldn't seem to stay in it's pony tail cornflower blue eyes and rather pale features. She wasn't even wearing lipstick not even lip gloss.

Although she was smiling it looked painful, and it was obviously contrived due to their "Valued customer" status.

In short Ginny concluded, unless the woman was hiding some sort of secrete fetish, Lavender really was over reacting.

(Janie POV)

She saw one of the girls in the large group's eyes glance to her sneakers and winced. She was required to wear this ridiculous skirt and top better suited for a rave then a job, but she refused to wear the nine inch heels that could very well have passed as a war weapon. A few stabs to the gut and a few pokes to the eye and the dark ages could have been over far sooner.

She belated recognized one of the girls, she was a regular and a few days before she had brought her boyfriend. Whom Janie was embarrassed to see was once again with her.

Poor man.

Maybe the girl didn't like her smile cause she was staring daggers of death into her. She surveyed the group, most of them looked vaguely familiar, no surprise they looked to have been in her year at Hogwarts. She had been a Ravenclaw so she instantly recognized Luna, and the boy holding hands with her she would know anywhere. That must mean the redhead was Ron Weasley and the brunette on his arm Hermione Granger. She recognized Neville he had organized and led the students while Snape and Voldemort openly controlled the school.

And of course she knew Seamus, he had been dating her sister for a few months and then rather suddenly dating her brother. Only released from such a terrible fate when Janie had discovered the extent of her sister immaturity and meanness, and threatened to inform Kent of what she had done.

Her empty headed and rather shallow brother had a soft spot, like everyone else, for Jamie and would have been heartbroken to know his knew boyfriend had been hexed into affection for him. Jamie had given in and freed Seamus who had been humiliated and horrified. Janie had done him a favor and removed his memories of the last few months less then clean moments.

Janie had paid for it with longer shifts, fact of the matter was Jamie could have done worse but she just didn't care. Seamus had been just one more toy, nothing to get mad over.

She offered him a smile of recognition, "Hi Seamus how have you been?"

"Fine, clearing up a few misconceptions about which way I'm swimming but otherwise ok." He made the moment less awkward for them both with a joke and a wink.

He really was a nice guy, it was a shame he had ever met her sister.

"Well it's good to see your sister isn't here. Why the two of you should be ashamed of yourselves." The one girl, the one whom obviously hated her said.

Janie arched an eyebrow, "Well I won't argue that my sister should be ashamed of her actions, she really hurt both Seamus and my brother but I really don't see where in that sordid tale, I have cause to be ashamed."

"How about the chapter where you took off my boyfriends pants?" The girl screeched.

She saw many eyes roll and many sympathetic looks of embarrassment cast her way, and even heard a giggle from Luna.

"Well I'm not." Janie shrugged not seeing any reason to defend herself. Only an idiot forced a grown man into pants four sizes too small, and then refused his pained pleas for mercy.

The girl, lavender judging by her boyfriends groan of her name, Gasped and looked like she was ready to stomp her foot and throw a tantrum.

"Is there something you came for exactly that I can help you find?" She asked hoping to speed things along.

"yes, Janie love the seven of us are going clubbing! We need to be outfitted." Seamus crowed with excitement.

Great. She lived through this every weekend.

The conversations of meaningless empty headed teenagers swirling though her head.

Does this show enough leg do you think?

_No it looks perfect it's just that, well um, you're rather… BIG BONED to be wearing a tube top…_

_Oh yes I'm sure your right, if you insist people like a little flesh nowadays… maybe a little bit more material just so you pass public decency laws… _

_Yes lady it is absolutely necessary that I be touching your boyfriends leg to stitch him into these pair of pants. If you don't like it how about buying a pair that doesn't require my having to make it around him?_

People always joked about how easy a clerks Job was. Janie wished she could meet the founder of all those clerk jock and show him a thing or too.


End file.
